Thermally-controlled fire extinguisher



April 8 1924. 1,489,613

w. c. SERRELL ET AL THERMALLY CONTROLLED FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed Nov. 22. 1921 5 of Onondaga and Lewis, respectively, in the 10 panying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact Patented Apr. 8, 1924.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM c. SERRELL, F SYRACUSE, AND CHARLES E. WIDMEYER, or BEAVER FALLS,

NEW YORK.

THERMALLY-CONTROLLED FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application filed November 22, 1921. Serial No. 517,011.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, \VILLLUI C.-SERRE1.L and CHARLES E. lvnnrnrnn'. of Syracuse and and Beaver Falls. respectively, in the counties State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Thermally-Controlled Fire Extinguishers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accomdescription.

This invention relates to .a thermally controlled fire extinguisher adapted to be sus pended from an over-head support and containing a fire extinguishing fluid normally retained under pressure by an automatic sprinkler secured in the bottom of the receptacle and provided with a thermally controlled valve which under abnormally high .9 temperature will be automatically released erably to discharge the contents of the receptacle in case of fire in the immediate vicinity-thereof.

The main object is to provide a device of this character which may be suspended prefover head in any part of the building where protection against fire is needed and which will be capable of discharging the fire extinguishing fluid in case of fire in the immediate vicinity thereof.

Another object is to provide means within the receptacle for deflecting the discharging fluid from a direct course along the axis of the container through the discharge opening when the valve of the sprinkler head is released.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the'device will be brought out in the following description:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a thermally controlled fire extinguisher embodying the various features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same device taken on line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-3, Fig. 2.

As illustrated, this device comprises a bulbous receptacle 1 divided diametrically through its larger diameter and consisting of a substantially semi-spherical upper section -2 and an inverted truncated conical lowersection 3- fitted one upon the other and permanently brazed or other- Wise secured together at -4 to form a liquid and gas tight joint, the lower edge of the upper section -2 forming an annular shoulder or abutment 5-.

A band 6 encircles the upper end of the lower section 3 against the annular abutment 5 and to this band is pivoted at 7-, the lowerends of a bail '8 by which the receptacle with the parts mounted thereon may besuspended from the ceiling or any other over-head support in the building in which the fire extinguisher is to be installed.

The lower section 3 is provided with a central opening 9 in the apex or bottom thereof and is also provided with an additional opening 10- in one side normally closed by a bushing -11having a coupling member as 12- by which it may be attached to a hose or other ing from'any suitable source of supply for partially filling the receptacle with a fire conduit leadextinguishing fluid as 13 and suitable gas or air which is introduced into the receptacle to occupy the upper portion of the interior thereof for placing the fire extinguishing fluid under pressure.

The bushing 11 may be any suitable check valve to permit the entrance and prevent the exit of the fluid and air, or the coupling member 12- may be capped to additionally close :the opening in the bushmg.

The inlet opening 10 is preferably located substantially midway between the outlet 9 and top of the section 3 while the normal levelof the liquid 13---- the outlet for agitating and mixing purposes said flange being threaded internally to receive a bushing 16 which is tightly screwed therein. This bushing is provided with a central lengthwise opening therethrough and is threaded internally at its lower end for receiving the threaded tubu= lar nipple 18 of an automatic sprinkler head 19-. the upper end of the bushing being provided with a deflector central up wardly flaring 20 projecting upwardly from a grid wall 21- across the top of the bushing 16.

The object of this deflector 20 is to prevent the discharge of the tire extinguishing fluid in anarrow stream along the axis of the container by causing it to be deflected laterally in all directions around said axis into the channel -15- and thence upwardly and outwardly through the opening as in the bushing whence it passes through the tubular nipple 1S of the sprinkler head when the vakeas Q3 of said sprinkler head is released by. the thermal disintegration of the fusible link as 24:.

The valve 23 is held in place by toggle struts -25 having laterally projecting arms 26- to which the fusible. link 2stis connected, the upper strut being engaged with the under side of the valve while the lower strut is engaged with an adjustable screw abutment 2T. which is screwed in a threaded opening in the lower side of the frame 28 of the sprinkler head. and holds in place a distributerplate 29 for spreading the discharge liquid over a considerable area in case the valve 23 should be open by the release of the fusible detent 2i from over heat or fire in the vicinity of the extinguisher.

In operation, the device is suspendedlrom an overhead support by means of the bail 8- with the fire extinguishing fluid in a container normally under air or gaseous pressure capable of expelling the liquid through the outlet l2- with considerable force in case the valve 23-- should be released by the fusing of the detent 24 under which conditions, the deflector 20 will cause the liquid to spread out within the container in transit through the opening 22- and the tubular nipple -18 being again deflected by the plate 29- to mom effectively extinguish the fire.

The curved inner contours of the bulbous receptacle 1- together with the con- .tracted or conical lower portion thereof tend to concentrate the discharging fiuid toward the outlet and to facilitate the easy flow of said liquid from the receptacle.

After the flre extinguishing fluid has been discharged. the receptacle may be refilled and placed under air or gaseous pressure through the opening 1(), while the valve 23 and its retaining struts 25 may be replaced and held in operative position by a new fusible detent 24.

What I claim is:

1. In a fire extinguisher, ofthe character described. a receptacle for the fire extinguishing fluid having a downwardly tapered lower portion provided with an opening in the apex thereof and an inturned annular flange surrounding the opening forming with the outer walls of the main body. an annular channel around the flange to deflect the liquid upwardly just preceding its discharge, a bushingsecured in the opening and provided with a central upwardly flaring deflector projecting above said flange, a tubular nipple secured in the bushing and provided with a discharge opening, a stopper for the discharge opening. and a thermally controlled detent for holding the stopper in place and thereby to agitate the fluid for mixing purposes during its discharge.

2. A thermally controlled fire extinguisher comprising a receptacle containing fire extinguishing fluid normally under pressure, an automatic sprinkler head socured in an opening in said receptacle, and an upwardly flaring deflector within the receptacle across the inner end of the opening.

3. A thermally controlled fire extinguisher comprising a receptacle containing a fire extinguishing fluid under pressure and provided with a central opening in the bottom thereof, a bushin secured in the opening and provided with an upwardly flaring deflector across the inner end thereof, and an automatic sprinkler head secured in said bushing.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 10th day of November, 1921.

WILLIAM G. SERRELL. CHAS. E. WIDMEYER.

Witnesses H. E. CHASE, HOWARD I. LE Fawn. 

